Letter: Impaired driving remains a deadly problem in state

In 2011, there were nearly 12,000 motor vehicle accidents resulting in serious injuries and more than 1,100 fatal accidents in New York State. Impaired driving is a major factor in motor vehicle accident deaths. Statistics show that nearly one third of crash deaths involve an alcohol impaired driver and accidents involving drivers who are impaired by drugs other than alcohol, account for 18 percent of traffic fatalities in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one person dies every 48 seconds in an alcohol related crashes in the United States. This is equivalent to nearly 30 deaths every day.

In New York, drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 are three times more likely to be involved in alcohol related motor vehicle accidents than drivers 21 and older. In fact, motor vehicle accidents are one of the three leading causes of death among teens. Driver inexperience can be a factor in motor vehicle accidents among teens, and alcohol just adds to the probability of accidents. According to the 2012 Madison County Traffic Safety Report, 23 percent of alcohol-related traffic fatalities involved persons 18-20 years old.

Prevention education and enforcement are important tools in preventing impaired driving among teens. Our local law enforcement agencies continue to work diligently to enforce state laws regarding impaired driving in order to prevent alcohol related motor vehicle accidents. The New York state “Zero Tolerance Law” and Graduated driver licensing have been proven effective in preventing drinking and driving and reducing the number of crashes among teens. Parents can also play a role in preventing impaired driving among teens by modeling safe driving behavior, reminding their teens to never ride in a vehicle where the driver has been drinking, and consider developing a parent-teen driving agreement to set and enforce rules and expectations for safe driving. By working together, we can make the roads safer in this community. For more information on impaired driving, visit www.bridges-mccasa.org